This is going to be image heavy, it's been a few years since I posted regularly here and my crafting has not slowed in the meantime.

I'm a bellydancer on the side, and while I now have the income to buy new costumes I usually either buy used fixer-uppers or make my own now. I'll breakthis post into two, one for cabaret styled costumes and one for more casual costumes. These are all built from hard-cups and built up from there. I'm happy to answer any questions about process. I also blog about my costuming obsession ( and many obsessions) at parasitegirl.livejournal.com (you'll want to click on the costumes tag, because I write daily and most of it isn't costumes)

This is my most recently finished bedlah (belt and bra) I bought the hard cups from sugarpetals.com, covered them, and built the bra. I drafted a pattern for the belt constructed a base in flet and interfacing.

All the beadwork is my original design, and the fringe was done by hand. I bought the skirt.

Before that I made a new belt for one of my existing bra and belts so the set could be used with a wider range of skirt styles.

And between the two I built a bra and base for a coin cover set I7d bought used and fixed up. This helped me get in touch with my swearing at needlenose plier skills.(in progress)

And I am currently working on a tribaret set (and doing some comissions for three local tribal style dancers):

Those are all gorgeous!! And you look super hot! Wow. The detailing on those pieces are all so intense... Great job!

Thanks!The detailing is why I don't take comissions for my work. I've explained to local dancers "If I charged you the hours it takes to bead these? You'd find it cheaper to hop on a plane to Egypt and get one made there!"

The Tribaret is the first time I've embraced using pre-made elements such as cheap acrylic beaded fringe to cut down on time.